Latest news with #JohnMacDonald
The Independent
19-05-2025
- The Independent
High school coach who did naked fat tests found not guilty of child molestation, sexual assault
A jury has found a former Rhode Island high school basketball coach not guilty of second-degree child molestation and second-degree sexual assault after he spent decades asking hundreds of male student-athletes if they were 'shy or not shy' before asking them to get naked so he could their check their body fat. Instead, the 12 jurors found Aaron Thomas guilty of a lesser charge, misdemeanor battery, in their verdict handed down Monday. In the final days of the trial, attorneys agreed that the jury could consider convicting Thomas of misdemeanor battery rather than the harsher charges originally issued against the coach. Throughout the nearly six-week trial, defense attorneys for Thomas argued that the so-called naked fat tests conducted by the once-beloved coach at North Kingstown High School were wrong but not a crime. The defense said Thomas didn't touch the boy athletes for sexual gratification or arousal, a key requirement under the charges he faced. 'We'd like to thank the jury for their attention, their hard work, and for their verdict. We are very satisfied that the jury saw the case as we saw it, no sexual intent whatsoever,' defense attorney John MacDonald told reporters outside the court. Prosecutors maintained Thomas created and implemented a program that allowed him to have unfettered access to young naked boys for decades. 'Above all else, this case is about the victims who suffered greatly behind closed doors," said Attorney General Peter Neronha in a statement. 'And despite what the defendant and his defense would have you believe, pseudo-science is not an excuse for abuse, nor is winning more important than well-being. We believe that what took place here was not just bad judgment, it was, and always has been, criminal conduct.' Neronha added that the statute of limitations on second-degree assault in Rhode Island is three years, a limit that he has pushed to increase to 10 years and would have allowed him to pursue more charges. Under Rhode Island law, misdemeanor battery carries a maximum one-year prison sentence and a possible fine as high as $1,000. Sentencing for Thomas will take place June 26. Although Thomas performed the tests on multiple students over many years, the charges related to just two former students, including one who was under 14 at the time, in September 2000 and February 2002. Thomas' attorneys argued that these former students' testimony were unreliable — pointing out one of the boy's mental health struggles — and stressed that they really wanted a monetary payment under a separate civil lawsuit. During his testimony, Thomas told the jury that he likely saw more than 600 students throughout his career, with 'roughly 80%' of them taking their underwear off during the test. The tests involved Thomas pinching various areas of their bodies, including near the groin and buttocks. The tests were conducted behind closed doors, first in a small closet-like room and then eventually in Thomas' office. Thomas acknowledged while on the stand that removing the underwear was not necessary, while body fat composition experts said pinching near the groin was not backed by science as a way to determine body fat. More than a dozen students testified throughout the trial, as well as law enforcement officers, body composition experts and former school officials.
Associated Press
06-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
AIP Precision Machining and Roboze to Showcase Strategic Manufacturing Partnership at OTC 2025
Houston, TX May 05, 2025 --( )-- AIP Precision Machining, a leader in precision thermoplastic component manufacturing, is pleased to announce its joint exhibition with Roboze at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2025, taking place in Houston, Texas. The two companies will co-host booth 667 to present integrated solutions that address critical challenges in the energy sector's supply chain and component performance. This collaboration merges AIP's precision machining expertise with Roboze's advanced additive manufacturing platforms, enabling a hybrid approach to producing mission-critical components for demanding environments. 'At AIP, we specialize in tight-tolerance machining of high-performance thermoplastics like PEEK, Torlon®, and VESPEL® — materials engineered for reliability in high-temperature, high-pressure conditions,' said John MacDonald, President at AIP Precision Machining. 'Together with Roboze, we're offering the energy industry a strategic shift in how critical parts are sourced and delivered.' Engineering Performance for Extreme Environments The oil & gas sector increasingly requires components that can maintain mechanical and chemical integrity under extreme conditions — while also navigating disruptions in global logistics. Through the deployment of Roboze's ARGO 500 additive manufacturing platform, paired with AIP's proven machining processes, customers gain access to localized, responsive production without compromising on dimensional accuracy or compliance. By combining on-demand 3D printing with AS9100- and ISO 13485-certified machining operations, the partnership enables faster lead times, reduced warehousing needs, and improved responsiveness in MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations) workflows. A New Model for Critical Parts Management At OTC 2025, AIP and Roboze will present real-world use cases demonstrating how this hybrid manufacturing model can: - Reduce downtime by enabling local, agile production of custom parts - Replace legacy metal components with lightweight, chemically resistant alternatives such as Carbon PEEK - Maintain precise tolerances and part reliability with post-processing and final machining - Digitize and decentralize inventory through validated part files and repeatable quality control Join them at Booth 667 – OTC 2025 Attendees are invited to explore how AIP and Roboze are redefining advanced manufacturing for the energy sector. Experts from both teams will be available to discuss application-specific requirements, material selection, and how to implement a hybrid production strategy that aligns with operational goals. To schedule a dedicated meeting during OTC or learn more about this partnership, please contact: John Mackie AIP Precision Machining [email protected] 724 Fentress Boulevard Daytona Beach, Florida 32114 Contact Information: AIP Precision Machining John Mackie (386) 274-5335 Contact via Email Read the full story here: AIP Precision Machining and Roboze to Showcase Strategic Manufacturing Partnership at OTC 2025 Press Release Distributed by
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists make rock discovery following analysis of Cumbrian slag deposits
INDUSTRIAL waste is turning into rock in decades, much faster than the millions of years it is thought to take for it to form naturally, research has shown. An aluminium drinks can tab made since 1989 and a 1934 coin found embedded in rock on the Cumbrian coastline are among the items that have helped scientists understand how quickly the process is happening. The researchers have documented a new 'rapid anthropoclastic rock cycle', which mimics natural rock cycles but involves human material over accelerated timescales. They warn that the rapid and unplanned-for development of rock around industrial waste sites could have negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as land planning and coastal management. Their findings came from analysis of a two-kilometre stretch of slag deposit, at Derwent Howe in West Cumbria, which was home to iron and steel-making foundries during the 19th and 20th centuries. The slag deposits have formed cliffs of waste material which are being eroded by coastal waves and tides, and the team carried out detailed analysis after noticing intriguing irregular formations in the cliffs. Dr Amanda Owen of the University of Glasgow's School of Geographical and Earth Sciences and one of the study's authors, said: 'For a couple of hundred years, we've understood the rock cycle as a natural process that takes thousands to millions of years. 'What's remarkable here is that we've found these human-made materials being incorporated into natural systems and becoming lithified – essentially turning into rock – over the course of decades instead. 'It challenges our understanding of how a rock is formed, and suggests that the waste material we've produced in creating the modern world is going to have an irreversible impact on our future.' Laboratory tests helped the researchers determine that Derwent Howe's slag materials contain deposits of calcium, iron, magnesium, and manganese. These elements are highly chemically reactive, which is key to causing the accelerated process of rock formation. When the slag is eroded by the sea, it exposes the material to seawater and air, which interacts with the slag's reactive elements to create natural cements including calcite, goethite, and brucite. These cements are the same materials that bind together natural sedimentary rocks, but the chemical reactions cause the process to happen much faster than has been assumed to happen with similar material in a natural rock cycle. Researchers also found modern materials trapped in some of the samples, which helped them to determine how quickly the process is happening. Dr John MacDonald, a co-author of the study, said: 'We were able to date this process with remarkable precision. 'We found both a King George V coin from 1934 and an aluminium can tab with a design that we realised couldn't have been manufactured before 1989 embedded in the material. 'This gives us a maximum timeframe of 35 years for this rock formation, well within the course of a single human lifetime. 'This is an example in microcosm of how all the activity we're undertaking at the Earth's surface will eventually end up in the geological record as rock, but this process is happening with remarkable, unprecedented speed.' Researchers have warned that the process could have an impact on ecosystems and said more research is needed. Dr David Brown, the paper's third co-author, said: 'On coasts like Derwent Howe, the process of lithification has turned a sandy beach into a rocky platform very, very quickly. 'That rapid appearance of rock could fundamentally affect the ecosystems above and below the water, as well as change the way that coastlines respond to the challenges of rising sea levels and more extreme weather as our planet warms. 'Currently, none of this is accounted for in our models of erosion of land management, which are key to helping us try to adapt to climate change. 'We're currently seeking additional funding to help support further research at other slag deposit sites across Europe, which will help to deepen our understanding of this new rapid anthropoclastic rock cycle.' The research is published in the journal Geology. In the paper, the team note that a similar process had previously been observed in the Gorrondatxe coastal system near Bilbao, Spain. However they said that researchers there were unable to determine how long the process had been underway due to the waste being deposited in the sea before being returned to the beach.
STV News
28-04-2025
- Science
- STV News
Industrial waste turning to rock in decades, research finds
Industrial waste is turning into rock in decades, much faster than the millions of years it is thought to take for it to form naturally, research has shown. An aluminium drinks can tab made since 1989 and a 1934 coin found embedded in rock on the Cumbrian coastline are among the items that have helped scientists understand how quickly the process is happening. The researchers have documented a new 'rapid anthropoclastic rock cycle', which mimics natural rock cycles but involves human material over accelerated timescales. They warn that the rapid and unplanned-for development of rock around industrial waste sites could have negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as land planning and coastal management. Their findings came from analysis of a two-kilometre stretch of slag deposit, at Derwent Howe in West Cumbria, which was home to iron and steel-making foundries during the 19th and 20th centuries. The slag deposits have formed cliffs of waste material which are being eroded by coastal waves and tides, and the team carried out detailed analysis after noticing intriguing irregular formations in the cliffs. Dr Amanda Owen of the University of Glasgow's School of Geographical and Earth Sciences and one of the study's authors, said: 'For a couple of hundred years, we've understood the rock cycle as a natural process that takes thousands to millions of years. 'What's remarkable here is that we've found these human-made materials being incorporated into natural systems and becoming lithified – essentially turning into rock – over the course of decades instead. 'It challenges our understanding of how a rock is formed, and suggests that the waste material we've produced in creating the modern world is going to have an irreversible impact on our future.' Laboratory tests helped the researchers determine that Derwent Howe's slag materials contain deposits of calcium, iron, magnesium, and manganese. These elements are highly chemically reactive, which is key to causing the accelerated process of rock formation. When the slag is eroded by the sea, it exposes the material to seawater and air, which interacts with the slag's reactive elements to create natural cements including calcite, goethite, and brucite. These cements are the same materials that bind together natural sedimentary rocks, but the chemical reactions cause the process to happen much faster than has been assumed to happen with similar material in a natural rock cycle. Researchers also found modern materials trapped in some of the samples, which helped them to determine how quickly the process is happening. Dr John MacDonald, a co-author of the study, said: 'We were able to date this process with remarkable precision. 'We found both a King George V coin from 1934 and an aluminium can tab with a design that we realised couldn't have been manufactured before 1989 embedded in the material. 'This gives us a maximum timeframe of 35 years for this rock formation, well within the course of a single human lifetime. 'This is an example in microcosm of how all the activity we're undertaking at the Earth's surface will eventually end up in the geological record as rock, but this process is happening with remarkable, unprecedented speed.' Researchers have warned that the process could have an impact on ecosystems and said more research is needed. Dr David Brown, the paper's third co-author, said: 'On coasts like Derwent Howe, the process of lithification has turned a sandy beach into a rocky platform very, very quickly. 'That rapid appearance of rock could fundamentally affect the ecosystems above and below the water, as well as change the way that coastlines respond to the challenges of rising sea levels and more extreme weather as our planet warms. 'Currently, none of this is accounted for in our models of erosion of land management, which are key to helping us try to adapt to climate change. 'We're currently seeking additional funding to help support further research at other slag deposit sites across Europe, which will help to deepen our understanding of this new rapid anthropoclastic rock cycle.' The research is published in the journal Geology. In the paper, the team note that a similar process had previously been observed in the Gorrondatxe coastal system near Bilbao, Spain. However they said that researchers there were unable to determine how long the process had been underway due to the waste being deposited in the sea before being returned to the beach. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
